Gas-producing process



Oct. 2 9, 1 929. J. QCQNNOR 1,733,623

GAS PRODUC iNG PROCESS Filed April 8, 1929 @Vezazar.

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W h'sfiwzyzeys 50 the gas outlet pipes,

Patented Oct. 29, 1929 JOHN J.

O'CONNOR, OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN GAS-PRODUCING PROCESS Originalapplication illed April 14, 1928, Serial No. 632,007. Divided and thisapplication filed April 8, 1929. Serial No. 353,402.

This application is a division of my application Ser. No, 632,007, filedApril 14, 1923, and the purpose of this invention is to provide animproved process for producing combustible gas from carbonaceousmaterial such as bituminous coal, coke, lignite, and the like. It is theobject of this invention not only to produce gas more cheaply than it isnow being manufactured by" apparatus in common use, but also to providea process which will operate efficiently on a small scale so that it maybe employed in .an individual lant of any large commercial user .of gasor heating or power, and will not be conlifined to large municipal gasplants and the like. The process COIlSl ts in the various steps andfeatures hereinafter described as practiced in apparatus of the typeshown in the drawings, and in accordance with the appending claims.

In the drawings, which are diagrammatic: Figure 1 is a top plan view ofan apparatus adapted for this process showing only the vparts-above theplane in icated by line 2-2 on Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a transverse or horizontal section of the a p'aratus takenas indicated at line 2-2 on 1gure3. Figure 3 is an elevation of saidapparatus. For understanding the process, it is sirable first todescribe the apparatus indicated by the drawings. This consists of a,pair of twin gas producers or generators, 1 and 2, which arestructurally similar and contain the usual grate bars and fire potscommon in gas generators as more fully illustrated in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 507,288, filed October 12, 1921, and in myapplication Serial No. 632,007, above mentioned.

The generators are coupled together both above and below the fire pot orcombustion zone by pipes, 3 and 4, respectively, provided with valves, 5and 6, whereby the flow of gas from one generator to the other may becontrolled as to its path.

Each generator also has upper and lower discharge or off-take pipes, 7and 8, respectively, leading to water seals, 9, from which 10, may beunderstood as common gas holder, not shown. For illustrating the presentinvention, which is generic in character, I show an apparatus anddescribe a process specifically adapted to make what is known asproducer gas; for this purpose each generator also has a steam sup lyconnection, 11, with inlets, 12 and 13, opening into the generator resctively above and below the fire pot; and in addition, each of the steamlines is fitted with an air pipe, 15, so that either steam alone or amixture of air and steam may be injected at 12 or 13, as desired.Suitable valves are shown in these pipe connections for directing andcontrolling the steam supply.

An air blast pipe, 16, has branches, 17, each controlled by a valve, 1&,for supplying air to either of the generators at will.

Ordinarily, the connections described are adequate for producing fuelgas of various qualities, but when illuminating gas is required, theproper enrichment is secured b the addition of such material as tar,fuel oi or the like, supplied through injectors at 19, inthe top of eachgenerator.

The operation of the process as specificall iidapted for making producergas is as fol: ows:

connecting with a v Up-rwh operation The fuel chambers or fire pots ofthe two gas producers or generators, 1 and 2, are filled to a height ofabout nine feet with carbonaceous material,-for example, bituminouscoal, preferably broken to nut coal size. A

fire being'started in one of the generators, say the chamber 1, thecharging doors, 20, are closed; the valves,'5 and 6, are closed, and thevalves 21, 22, and 23 are closed. The blast mixer, 14, connected in aby-pass.

controlling valve, 18, leading to the generator,

1,-is open, so that an air blast is supplied to the fuel to induce andaccelerate the combustion until the body of fuel becomes incandescent,reaching a temperature of from 2000 F. to 2500 F. It may be understoodthat while an air blast is at present the most economical means ofinducing combustion, there may be some conditions under whichsubstantially pure oxygen or ozone might be supplied for -ing a p thispurpose, or other chemical reagents might be employed to react with the'carbonaceous material for bringing it to incandescence.

During this operation, the cap valve 24, which surmounts the stack, 25,leading from the gas off-take pipe, 7, is left open, so that the gaseousproducts of combustion, during this blowing up process, pass out throughthe stack.

' When the desired temperature is reached, the air blast is shut off atthe valve, 18, andv the cap valve, 24, is closed. The valve, 5.connecting the two generators is opened, and the valve, 26, in theoff-take, 8, of the generator, 2, is opened to give access to the waterseal, 9. The cap valve, 27, and the valves 28 and 29, are closed toconfine the out-flow of gas to the path through the valve, 26.

A mixture of steam and air is now admitted to the generator, 1, at thelower inlet. 13, below the grate, so that as the steam and air pass upthrough the hot fuel bed, they are decomposed and united with thecarbon, formroducer gas. This hot producer gas passes into the chamber,2, through the valve 5, and is drawn downward through the mass of freshfuel therein, tending to coke it and drive oil the volatile matter,which unites or mixes with the gas coming from the generator, 1. The'resultant mixed gas passes through the grate of the generator, 2, andout through the valve. 26, into the water seal, '9, and thence throughthe outlet, 10, to a gas holder, not shown. i

In this mode of operation, air being supplied with steam, thetemperature of the fuel mass in the first chamber is not materiallyreduced and this step of the operation can be continued for an honor anhour and one-half, during which time the fuel in the second chamber,through which the, producer gas is passed, will be thoroughly coked.

Down-run operation After a gas-making period, the mixed air and steamblast is shut off and the valve, 5, is closed. The air blast or otheroxidizing means is again admitted by the valve, 18, for reheating thefuel bed, with the cap valve, 24;, open. When this is done, the airblast is shut off and the stack valve is closed. Then the valve, 6, isopened and a mixture of steam and air is admitted to the generator, 1,at the upper opening, 12, so as to drive the gaseous products downwardthrough the fuel bed out past the valve, 6, and upward throughthepartially coked fuel in the generator, 2. The combustible gas thusproduced is led out through the off-take, 7, and, with the valve 26closed, and the valve 29 opened, passes into the water seal, 9, andthence through the outlet, 10, to a gas holder.

More' lgas is made in this down-run than in- -the'up-run because of thenatural tendency 'sulting gas at the lower outlet,

of the hotgas or steam to rise, whereas the.

admissio of steam at the upper inlet, 12, forcing t e gaseous productsto take a downward course through the fuel retards its movement, so thatthe gas remains longer in operative contact with the incandescent fuelmass and acts upon surfaces of the fuel which were not attacked in thepreceding up-run. The down-run is also more effective than the up-runbecause it tends to carry the ash and clinker down toward, and through,the grate; making the fire easier to clean and rendering theincandescent mass freer from the blanketing effect of the ash whichwould otherwise accumulate as the combustion and decomposition proceed.

Reversal After several runs have beenmade in alternate directions, asabove described, making producer gas in the generator, 1, and passing itthrough the coal in the chamber, 2, said coal will be thoroughly cokedand the fuel in the chamber,

hausted. Said chamber, 1, is then recharged with fresh coal or otherfuel through the to prepare for making producer gas in this.-

generator.

When the desired temperature is attained in the chamber, 2, the capvalve, 27,.and the air blast valve, 18, are closed and the valve, 5, maybe opened and the up-run operation will proceed in the generator,producer gas to the fresh fuel in the chamber, 1, for coking it anddelivering the re- 8, the valve, 21, being opened and the valves, 22 and23, being closed for directing'this gas through the water seal. 9. andoutlet, 10, to the gas holder. It will be understood that in this up-runof the generator, 2, the mixed steam and air is admitted to saidgenerator at 13 in the same manner as described up-run of the generator1.

After the up-run has cooled the fuel bed in the chamber, 2. the valve,5, is closed and the fuel is again blown up with the air blast,whereupon a down-run is made by admitting steam and air at the upperinlet, 12, of chamber. 2, and passing the gas out through the valve, 6,and up through the partially coked fuel charge in chamber, 1.

After a number of up and down runs in the producer, 2, with delivery ofthe producer gas through the off-take, 7, or the off-take, 8, of thechamber, 1, the fuel in chambe'r,'2,

for the a 1, will be practically ex- 2, furnishing heated toinc'andescence withan air blast and creased by reason of t the processagain reversed with a fresh charge of fuel in the producer, 2. It isthus evident that the process is practically continuous, inasmuch as therecharging of either producer may be accomplished during the blowing upof the other, and the time for cleaning out ash and clinker is reducedto a minimum by virtue of the alternating up and down runs in eachproducer.

The provision of upper and lower connec- 'tions, 12 and 13, permitsmaking of up and down runs with the mixture of air and steam at will, sothat any undue accumulation of ash in the fuel may be prevented byalternating the direction of flow of the gas in the first producer.

Or, if it be desired, each generator may be operated independently ofthe other by supplying the mixture of steam and air and leading ofi theproducer gas through the valve, 23, or the valve, 28, as the case maybe, instead of passing it to the other chamber.

ing the flow of gas through the first mass, where it was generated. i

2. The process of making combustible gas from carbonaceous material,which consists in providing two masses of such material in separatechambers, inducin combustion in one of said masses, thereby eating it toincandescence, passing through the incandescent mass mixed air and steamfor making producer gas; passing said producer gas through the othermass and thence to a receiver; alternating the direction'of the gasmovement through the second mass, periodically but less frequentlyreversing the order of gas movement through the two masses, andreplenishing the mass from which the producer gas has been last formed.

JOHN J. OCONNOR.

It will be recognized that the close couproducers insures theconsensible heat of the gases throughout the process, thus securingefiiciency without the addition of such special apparatus such asrecuperators or stoves.

It should also be noted that the frequent reversal of direction of. gasfiow'through the second mass of fuel results in three specialadvantages. It increases the gas yield from a given amount of fuel,-because the carbonaceous material is attacked first iromone directionand then fromthe other, insuring thorough chemical decomposition. Ittends to loosen and carry down the ash or clinker formed in the secondthe repeated agitation of the mass produced by alternating the directionof gas movement.

pling of the two servation of the admission in one direction only.

pler hour will be inis frequent reversal in the second producer.

- I claim:

Thus the gas output 1. In a process of making combustible gas fromcarbonaceous material, which includes the provision of two masses ofsuch material in separate chambers and the production of partialcombustion in one mass resulting in the generation of gas therefrom, theprocedure of passing the said generated gas im mediately and directlythrough the second mass without substantial change or diminution of itssensible heat, and thence to a gas outlet, and at frequent intervalsreversing the direction in which the gas generated from the first masspasses through the second mass, such reversal being accomplished byreversproducer, 'by virtue of And it results in quicker coking of thecoal than would bepossible with a con- 'tinuous gas

